23/11/2005 3:54:49 pm
Swearing in Church? Today, I presented my book "European Dawn" in Brussels, arranged by the European Enterprise Institute. Despite the competition from Angela Merkel, who arrived in Brussels today too, the conference room at the Leopold Hotel, close to the European Parliament, was packed. The arrangement was hosted by Gunnar Hökmark, MEP, and the Chairman of the EEI, Peter Jungen, also spoke (giving very positive comments on my book). There were quite a few diplomats and people from the EU Commission as well as the media - and the discussion after my speech was very interesting. My main message is the total opposite to what is comme il faut in Brussels. Nobody says that the European Social Model is the source of most of our problems, and that we should make radical market-oriented reform. Several people claimed that they agreed and felt a certain relief to hear a different message. Others were politely critical or at least questioning, which is always sensible. All in all a very good arrangement.